Lots of you will be buying a tree or shrub this spring. (I hope you did your homework first — evaluated the soil and the site so you choose suitable species.) Then you have to go home and plant it.

A “woody ornamental” is not the same as a tomato or petunia, so even gardeners need more information to plant these big plants. The handling is difficult and chances of survival variable — highly dependent upon what

you do with it after it leaves the nursery and during the next few months.

Three ways to buy a tree

• Bare root: This is the easiest to handle. The full root system is intact; the plant dormant; excellent survival odds if they don’t dry out. Buy these soon.

• Plants in pots: These may have good root systems or may be crowded. Sometimes they are buried too deeply in the pot, with soil high on the trunk. A lot depends on the nursery.

• Balled-and-burlapped: “B&B” is the way most big plants come. They were dug from a field, and 90 to 95 percent of their roots were cut off. So they are highly dependent upon the remaining roots. Regular watering, careful handling and correct planting are crucial.

Taking it home

Never take any plant home in an open vehicle, where it will whip in the wind. That causes severe drying out. At least wrap it at the nursery, if it has to stick out of the truck. At home put it in a shady location where it will get water until planting day. Never let it dry out (don’t drown it either.)

How to plant it

The operative concept is: Tree/shrub roots go out — not down — so you have to dig a wide but shallow hole. Dig only as deep as the root ball, and three or four times its width. Don’t till the soil heavily; just break it up. If it’s clayey, mix in compost. (I did not say use new topsoil; the plant has to get used to what’s there.) Peat is often used, but compost has several advantages.

Soak the plant well before you plant and plan to water long and deeply afterward — including the whole next season. Remove the pot or loosen the B&B wrap. Do not let the root ball fall apart. Set the plant in the hole so that the “flare” (where trunk meets roots) is just above the soil level. (Roll down and cut away the burlap and wire. Remove all you can without breaking the ball. Never leave it all wrapped in the hole.)

Spread the roots outward, opening up any circling ones. Fill the hole with water once, then backfill with soil or soil/compost mix. Water again, then mulch (not touching the trunk.) Only large plants in windy areas need staking.

For more help

This is a lot to cover, and you may need help. Find a CNLP (Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional) or arborist. Be proactive on behalf of the tree so that both of you live happily ever after.

Sally Cunningham is a garden writer, lecturer and consultant.

source : www.buffalonews.com